Engine starter



Nov. 11, 1924, 1,515,207

W. B. JASPERT ENGINE STARTER Filed Nov. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sh? 1 Fig.4.WITNESSES: INVENTOR Will/am 5. Jasper/ I v I v I ATTORNEY Nov. 11, 1924-B JASPERT ENGINE STARTER Filed Nov. 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:INVENTOR William B. Jasperf Patented Nov. 111, 1924.

UNi-TE WILLIAM B. JASPERT, OF WILKINSBURG,

& MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- IHOUSE ELECTRICVANIA.

memorrice.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T WESTING- ENGINE STARTER.

' Application and November 23, 1922. Serial No 602,814.

a starting mechanism of the character de-' scribed above which shallembody few moving parts of relatively low inertia.

A second object of my invention is to provide a starting mechanism inwhich the member corresponding to the usual motor pinion is not bodilymovable relatively to the engine member.

A further. -ob]ect of my. invention is to provide a starting mechanismof relatively few and simple parts' for controlling the operativeconnection of a starting motor'to an engine member according as thelatter constitutes the driven or the driving member.

Starting mechanisms, as heretofore employed, usually comprised a pinionthat was actuated longitudinally of the motor shaft by screw threads orequivalent means to engage the engine member upon the starting of themotor from rest. Such devices have the disadvantages that the movingparts have considerable inertia, whereby the coacting teeth-are damagedin case they do not meet in proper relation and that springs and otherparts of the mechanisms are subject to breakage or derangement. I

According to the present'invention, I employ a motor member in the formof a sprocket-wheel having inclined teeth which coact with the rollermembers of a link chain that surrounds the'sprocket member. The usualengine fly wheel is provided with teeth of the form of the well-knownratchet which are automatically engaged by the roller link chainwhen'the motor is started from rest. When the engine starts under itsown powe the lle mem rs f the chain are a tuated into the bottomportions of the recesses of the sprocket wheel, whereby the motor isdisconnected from the engine.

In the accompanying drawings,

- Figure l is a side view, in elevation, of a starting mechanismconstructed in accorda nce with my invention, the engine fly wheel anilthe starting motor being shown in part on y;

Fig. 2 is an end view of a portion of the fly wheel and associatedparts, the chain being in its'inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in operative position;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modification;

Fig.- 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification of the fly wheelteeth, the parts being in inoperative relation;

Fig 6 is a view of the'mechanism of Fig. 5, the parts being in engagingposition;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig.3 of a further modification; and

Fig. 8 is aside view, partially in elevation and partially in section,of the mecha nism of Fig. 7.

Referring particularly to the form of my invention illustrated in Figs.1, 2 and 3, an engine fly wheel 1, only a portion of which is shown, isprovided with teeth 2 similar to those of the well-known ratchet, eachof which has a relatively steep side and an inclined side. A. startingmotor 3, which may for example, be an electric motor, has a shaft 4 towhich is secured a sprocket wheel 5 having teeth 6 similar to those ofthe fly wheel 1.

Surrounding the sprocket wheel 5 is a.

roller link chain having transversely extending rollers 8 whichcorrespond in numher to the teeth 6 of the sprocket wheel 5. The rollersare connected by pairs of oppositely disposed link members 9 which holdthe rollers 8 in spaced relation and prevent the lateral displacement ofthe chain withrespect to the sprocket wheel. The chain 7 is of suchlength that each of the rollers 8 may simultaneously engage the outerportion of the inclined side of the corresponding tooth 6.-

WVhen the sprocket wheel 5 is stationary and certain of the rollers 8occupy the lower portions of the recesses between the sprocket teeth 6,certain other rollers are not in engagetoo the fly wheel is such thatthe rollers 8 are caused to engage the teeth 2 and thereby establish anoperative connection between the motor and the engine. 4

When the engine starts, the fly wheel 1 is actuated in the direction ofthe arrow at such speed that the teeth 2 travel much faster than theteeth 6 and the chain 7 The rollers 8 of the chain are accordinglyactuated into the deeper portions ofthe recesses between the sprocketteeth, and the driving connection between the fly Wheel and the motor isbroken. In case succeeding rollers 8 should happen to be in operativepositions when they are adjacent to the fly wheel 1, the teeth 2 actuatethem into the lower portions of the corresponding recesses and nooperative connection is established. The motor comes to rest when itscircuit is opened by the operator. a

Reference may now be had to Fig. 4, which illustrates a modification. Inthis structure, the fly-wheel teeth 10, which are similar to thoseillustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and '3, are located on the inner periphery ofan annular flange 11 of the fly wheel. Since the operation of themechanism is similar to that-of the structure previously described, nodescription thereof is necessary.

The mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6 diflers from the mechanism of Figs.1, 2 and 3 only in that the fly-wheel is provided with teeth ofdifi'erent form and number. The teeth 12, which are double in number, ascompared with the teeth 2, are symmetrical in form and are substantiallysinusoidal in shape. The increased number of. teeth facilitates theengagement of the rollers 8 of the chain since the number of points thatmay be engaged thereby is correspondingly greater. This modificationpossesses the advantage, also, that the teeth may be formed more easilyandconveniently than the teeth 2 of the structure previously described.

In the mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the fly-wheel gear teeth 14 areof conventional form and the chain 15 may be similar to the well-knownMorse silent chain of the rocker type. The chain 15 is provided withinwardly-extending lugs 16, which coact with the recesses of thesprocket wheel 5 in a manner similar to that described in connectionwith the rollers 8 of the chain 7 The chain 15 15 also provided withinwardly-extending plates 17 which coact with circumferential grooves 18to prevent lateral displacement of the chain. Since the operation ofthis mechanism is substantially identical with that of the mechanismspreviously described, extended description thereof is unnecessary.

The advantages of a starting mechanism constructed in accordance with myinvention are that no relative bodily movement between the engine flywheel and the motordriven member is required and the flexible chain onthe motor-driven member eflects the operative con-nection anddisconnection of wheel is always in the plane of the fly wheel permitsthe use of a very short motor shaft,

which may be rigidly mounted. The few parts of my starting mechanism maybe of such simple and rugged character as to have long life and be freefrom such damage as may cause frequent repair or replacement. It will bereadily'understood that the chain is not placed under any considerablestress, since the force of the motor is transmitted to the fly wheeldirectly between the co-acting teeth by means of the rollers of thechain.

I claim as my invention:

1. An engine starter comprising a ro-;

tatable member having inclined surfaces thereon and a flexible chainhaving members movable outwardly on said surfaces beyond the peripherythe latter is rotated.

2. An engine starter comprising a member having inclined recesses in itsouter periphery, and a roller link chain surrounding said member andhaving members movable outwardly in said inclined recesses when themember is rotated.

3. In a starting mechanism, an engine member and a motor member in, thesame plane, said members having spaced axes and. spaced peripheries, andmeans carried by the motor member and substantially coaxial therewithfor engaging the engine member upon the rotation of the former.

4. In a starting mechanism, an engine member and a motor member inthesame plane, said members having spaced axes and spaced peripheries, andflexible means for automatlcally connecting said members upon therotation of said motor member.

5. In a starting mechanism, an engine member and a motor member in thesame plane, said members having spaced axes, and spaced peripheries, andmeans comprising a of said member when flexible chain for automaticallyconnecting said members when the peripheral speed of the .motor memberexceeds that of the engine member.

6. In a starting mechanism,'the combination with an, englne memberhavlng a recessed surface, a motor member in the plane of said surfaceand means comprising a flexible chain that is controlled in accordancewith the speed of'said motor member for engaging said recessed surface.a

7 In astarting mechanism the combina; tion with an engine member havinga recessed surface, a motor member in the plane of said surface andnormally disconnected from said engine member and a flexible chalncarried by said motor member for engaging said recessed surface upon therotation of the motor member.

8. In a starting mechanism, the combination with an engine member-havinga recessed surface, a motor member in the plane of said surface andhaving inclined recesses in its periphery and a flexible chain carriedby said motor member comprising elements disposed in said inclinedrecesses, said chain being of such length that said elements moveoutwardly in said recesses to engage said recessed surface when themotor member is actuated from rest.

9. In a starting mechanism, the con1bination with an engine flywheelhaving a recessed surface and a motor-actuated member in the plane ofsaid flywheel, said member being permanently spaced from said flywheeland having inclined surfaces .in its periphery, of a flexible chaincarried by 'said motor 'member having elements coacting withsaidinclined surfaces to move outwardly thereon. to engagethe recessedsurface of said flywheel when said member is startedfrom rest and tomove inwardly thereon when theperipheral speed of the flywheel exceedsthat of the motor member to discern nect the motor member fromtheflywheel.

In testimony wh'ereof,'I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th dayof October, 1922.

WILLIAM B. JAsrEnT.

